2016 New York Giants season | |
---|---|
Owner | John Mara Steve Tisch |
General manager | Jerry Reese |
Head coach | Ben McAdoo |
Home field | MetLife Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 11–5 |
Division place | 2nd NFC East |
Playoff finish | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Packers) 13–38 |
Pro Bowlers | |
AP All-Pros | 6
|
Uniform | |
The 2016 season was the New York Giants' 92nd in the National Football League (NFL), their 41st season playing in The Meadowlands, their 7th playing at MetLife Stadium and the first under head coach Ben McAdoo.
After losing 6 games where they had late 4th quarter leads in 2015, Jerry Reese spent over $200 million in free agency to revitalize their defense. He re-signed Jason Pierre-Paul to a one-year deal and signed Damon Harrison, Olivier Vernon and Janoris Jenkins. Cornerback Eli Apple was drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft.
The Giants began 2–0 before falling into a three-game losing streak to the Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. The Giants rebounded and went on a six-game winning streak for the first time since 2010, before falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13. The Giants then upset the 11–1 Dallas Cowboys in Week 14 to improve to 9–4. With their Week 14 win over the Cowboys, the Giants clinched a winning season for the first time since 2012 and also swept the Cowboys for the first time since 2011. The Giants got their 10th win of the season in Week 15, having a 10-win season for the first time since 2010. Their 7–1 record at home is their best home record since MetLife Stadium opened in 2010.
Despite losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' loss to the New Orleans Saints two days later meant the Giants clinched a playoff trip for the first time since their last Super Bowl season in 2011.
The Giants' first playoff game since Super Bowl XLVI ended in disappointment, as they were upended by the Green Bay Packers 38–13 in the Wild Card round at Lambeau Field. Several media outlets criticized Giants' wide receivers Victor Cruz, Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard and Roger Lewis after a picture surfaced on social media of the players on vacation on a boat in Miami with rapper Trey Songz a week before the playoff game against the Green Bay Packers.[1] Following the loss, the Giants did not make a postseason appearance until 2022. The Giants sent four players to the Pro Bowl and their defense in 2016 was ranked third in the NFL with five All-Pros (the other All-Pro was Odell Beckham Jr.).